Monday, December 30, 2013

Well, the year is almost over. 2013 was a bit of a whirlwind for me. Tours, announcements, reveals, new hobbies, it was pretty crazy. Here are a few highlights of 2013.

BEA 2013
I attended my third Book Expo America this year and found it just as overwhelming, exciting, and exhausting as the previous two. But, as always, it was a blast, and I loved it. And, now as a veteran BEA-er, I have only one piece of advice for those planning to go to BEA for the first time: wear comfy shoes. Seriously.

Me and my fabulous editor, Natashya Wilson, doing an interview together at BEA:

More BEA pics. (I'm always the short one, lol.)

Also, Neil Gaiman was at BEA this year, aka the author who has been on my Bucket List for years, as in: Bucket List #1. Meet Neil Gaiman. Sadly, his presentation was at the same time as my signing in the Harlequin booth, so Amanda Sun (who is also a huge Gaiman fan) and I were both very bummed that we couldn't be there.

BUT, then I had an idea. Maybe I could meet him beforehand, if I could just get there early enough. I had the plan all laid out in my mind: I would get there early, search for (okay, fine, STALK) the room until I saw his people (cause Neil Gaiman has to have people), and ask them very nicely if I could maybe shake his hand and tell him how much of an inspiration he is to me. After all, my agent knows him and her agent-mate Pam is friends with both Neil and his wife, so I sort of know him by proxy, right?

Scheme firmly in place, on the morning of Neil's event, I got up, hurried to the Javits Center, and arrived at the room 4 hours early. Not surprisingly, there were already a few people waiting outside the door, so I joined them and watched the line quickly grow into the hundreds. I kept my eye out for what could be Neil's "people," and finally snagged a couple of ladies in his entourage. I explained who I was and what I wanted, and they said they couldn't promise anything, but they would try. Three-ish hours later, with the deadline to my signing fast approaching, I spotted Neil's editor and tried talking to her, but she said Neil was busy signing a thousand copies of The Ocean at the End of the Lane, and that I shouldn't get my hopes up. And I get that. Neil is huge, and overwhelmingly busy. I knew this was likely a long shot, that I probably shouldn't even be bothering them with requests like this. Still, I asked if he had even 10 seconds to shake the hand of a newbie author who is a big fan, or even listen to a thank you, that would make my year. Her response? "He doesn't have 10 seconds."

So, I didn't get to meet Neil Gaiman, which was kind of a bummer. I did catch a glimpse of him in another room, surrounded by books, people, and cameramen, as I headed off to my own signing, and wished him all the best. I hope that someday I will get to meet him, face to face, but until then, he remains at the top of my Bucket List.

The #YeahYA tour with Katie McGarry and Aimee Carter.
The #YeahYA tour was my first tour ever, and I got to travel with two fabulous authors, Katie McGarry and Aimee Carter. We were to hit seven cities in ten days, and if this sounds exhausting, that's because it WAS. Completely, overwhelmingly exhausting. And since I don't sleep in new places very well, there were days that I showed up to a signing on zero hour's sleep, and the event quickly took a nosedive into slaphappy. Which made it even more fun (and hilarious), but there were days I was running on caffeine and fumes and not much else.

Do I look a bit zombie-fied in this pic? I probably am.

Still, the tour was absolutely a blast. I had so much fun, met so many wonderful people, and my tour-mates and I quickly forged the unbreakable bond that comes from being in airports, hotels, and new cities 24/7. We had some truly unforgettable adventures (like being stuck overnight in Toronto after a massive storm that crippled half the city. We were in the airport when the power went out and the airport lost Katie's luggage, and every single flight was cancelled.), stayed at some awesome hotels, met our amazing fans, and ordered way too much room service.

And if I had the chance, I'd do it all again.

Thanks to everyone who came to see us! You are the reason we write.

Clay Stuff!

So, while writing three books this year, I found that I needed something else to do, something to keep my mind off plot and character and let my mind relax, or I would drive myself up a wall. Strangely enough, I turned to a hobby I enjoyed as a kid, making cute clay figurines. This let me be creative in a totally different way, and I really enjoyed it, though my first attempts looked like deformed gumbies. Soon enough, I had a whole shelf full of figurines and they were quickly taking over the room.

I put a few pics up on my blog, just to share what I'd been doing, and was surprised by the amount of people who asked if I sold them. This was also the first time I heard of Etsy, a site where you can sell your handmade art. After doing a little research (and wondering if people really WOULD buy any of my figurines), I opened up an Etsy shop, and the rest, as they say, is history.

By far the most exciting thing that happened to me this year was the unveiling of my new series, a subject very near and dear to my heart. I've had this idea since I was a kid, and wrote the first rendition of it in high school. The story has changed, the plot has evolved, but the two main characters have stayed with me their whole life, and I'm thrilled I finally get to tell their story.

For those who know me, the subject matter shouldn't even come as a surprise. It is, of course, about:

Dragons!

The reveal of the new series took place in New York City, and I was lucky enough to share a room with Jennifer L. Armentrout, the author of the Lux series and who joined the Harlequin TEEN team very recently with her new book, WHITE HOT KISS. Jennifer is amazing and funny and I can't wait for her new series.

There was a party with food and drinks and lots of awesome people, and a magnificent view of New York City in the background. I couldn't have asked for a cooler place for the big reveal.

Me and Natashya revealing TALON. I swear we did not coordinate our outfits beforehand.

﻿

﻿

Even more exciting is the fact that the first book was optioned for film by Universal Pictures, so MAYBE, just maybe, you might see modern day dragons soaring across the screen sometime in the future. Fingers crossed. And be on the lookout for the first book in the series, TALON, sometime next year. The dragons are coming!

Ember and Cobalt came to the party, too!

﻿

So, those were the highlights of the year for me. Like I said, 2013 was pretty awesome, but I am looking forward to 2014. Who knows what the next year will bring? I personally can't wait.

Wishing you all a safe and happy New Year! Thank you for all your support.

Friday, December 20, 2013

Can you believe it's almost Christmas? Where has the year gone? I hope that, wherever you are, you have a wonderful holiday filled with cheer, family, and love. 2014 is going to be spectacular, I can feel it.

So, here are two tiny dragons to wish you all a Merry Christmas. Could they be the chibi versions of a book that's coming out in the future? Perhaps they are. You'll have to wait and see. ;-)

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

How about a small FOREVER SONG teaser? This is part of a snippet in the back of The Iron Traitor. Warning: it's a bit dark. Do not read if you're squeamish in any way.

The smell of blood grew
thicker once we were past the wall, though nothing moved on the narrow path
that snaked between houses.The flimsy
wood and tin shanties were silent, dark, as we ventured deeper, passing snow
covered porches and empty chairs.Everything looked intact, undisturbed.There were no bodies.No corpses
mutilated in their beds, no blood spattered over the walls of the few homes we
ducked into.There weren't even any dead
animals in the tiny, trampled pasture past the main strip.Just snow, and dark, and emptiness.

And yet, the smell of blood soaked this place, hanging
thick on the air, making my stomach ache and the Hunger roar to life.I bit it down, clenching my jaw to keep from
snarling in frustration.It had been too
long.I needed food.The scent of blood was driving me crazy, and
the fact that there were no humans here made me furious.Where were they?It wasn't possible that an entire outpost of
mortals would up and disappear without a trace.

And then, as we followed the path around the pasture and
up to the huge barn at the top of the rise, we found the townspeople.

A massive, barren tree stood beside the barn, twisted
branches clawing at the sky.They
creaked and swayed beneath the weight of dozens of bodies, hanging upside down
from ropes tied to the limbs.Men,
women, even a few kids, swinging in the breeze, dangling arms stiff and white.Their throats had been cut, and the base of
the tree was stained black, the blood spilled and wasted in the snow.But the smell nearly knocked me over
regardless, and I clenched my fists, the Hunger raking my insides with fiery
talons.

"Well," Jackal muttered, crossing his arms and
gazing up at the tree, "isn't that festive."His voice was tight, as if he too, was on the
edge of losing it."I'm guessing
this is the reason we haven't found a single bloodbag from here all the way
back to New Covington."He growled,
shaking his head, lips curling back from his fangs."This guy is really starting to piss me
off."

I swallowed the Hunger, trying to focus through the gnawing
ache."Why James, don't tell me you
feel sorry for the walking meatsacks," I taunted, because sometimes,
goading Jackal was the only thing that kept my mind off everything else.He snorted and rolled his eyes.

"No, sister, I'm annoyed
because they don't have the decency to be alive so I can eat them."Allison's final story will be released next spring. What do you hope will happen in THE FOREVER SONG?-

Friday, November 22, 2013

Today, I have a visiting character here to talk about herself and this super awesome book you can win called CRASH INTO YOU by Katie McGarry.

So, let's all welcome Beth Risk, the bad girl of PUSHING THE LIMITS and DARE YOU TO. If you haven't read any of Katie McGarry's novels yet, you seriously need to. They will prepare you for the epicness that will be CRASH INTO YOU later this month.

So, without further ado...

Meet Beth Risk from Crash Into You by Katie McGarry (releases November 26th)

Description: Seventeen and living large at my uncle’s. Shoulder length blond hair with dyed black streaks. Some say I’m tiny, but my attitude makes up for it.

Loves: Ripped jeans, loud music with electric guitars, and Ryan Stone

Favorite Song: Perfect by P!nk –Seriously, it fits me.

Favorite Night Out: Hanging out with Ryan by the pond on his farm. It’s quiet and secluded and I love kissing Ryan.

From acclaimed author Katie McGarry comes an explosive new tale of a good girl with a reckless streak, a street-smart guy with nothing to lose, and a romance forged in the fast lane The girl with straight As, designer clothes and the perfect life—that's who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private-school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy parents and overbearing brothers…and she's just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker—a guy she has no business even talking to. But when the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can't get him out of her mind. Isaiah has secrets, too. About where he lives, and how he really feels about Rachel. The last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks—no matter how angelic she might look. But when their shared love of street racing puts both their lives in jeopardy, they have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they'll go to save each other.

Sunday, November 10, 2013

First, I am extremely lucky to share a publisher with two fabulous author who, not only have written some amazing books, I have the enormous pleasure of calling them friends. (Eleven days on tour with virtually no sleep will do that to you, that or you'll end up killing your tour mates.)

SO, I am very excited to be doing a signing with these two awesome ladies. The three of us will be at Carmichael's Bookstore (Frankfort Ave. location) in Louisville, KY on Friday, December 6th, at 7pm. So if you wanna come and say hi, get your books signed, and probably hear a few hilarious stories, we hope to see you there.

Second, I have a signed copy of Aimee Carter's PAWN (release date November 26) and a signed copy of Katie McGarry's CRASH INTO YOU to giveaway.

From acclaimed author Katie McGarry comes an explosive new tale of a good girl with a reckless streak, a street-smart guy with nothing to lose, and a romance forged in the fast lane
The girl with straight As, designer clothes and the perfect life-that’s who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private-school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy parents and overbearing brothers…and she’s just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker-a guy she has no business even talking to. But when the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can’t get him out of her mind.

Isaiah has secrets, too. About where he lives, and how he really feels about Rachel. The last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks-no matter how angelic she might look.

But when their shared love of street racing puts both their lives in jeopardy, they have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they’ll go to save each other.

For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country.

If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked—surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.

There's only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that's not her own, she must decide which path to choose—and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she's only beginning to understand.

You know you want them. So just enter the Rafflecopter below, and we hope to see you on December 6th!

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

In the real world, when you vanish into thin air for a week, people tend to notice.

After his unexpected journey into the lands of the fey, Ethan Chase just wants to get back to normal. Well, as "normal" as you can be when you see faeries every day of your life. Suddenly the former loner with the bad reputation has someone to try for-his girlfriend, Kenzie. Never mind that he's forbidden to see her again.

But when your name is Ethan Chase and your sister is one of the most powerful faeries in the Nevernever, "normal" simply isn't to be. For Ethan's nephew, Keirran, is missing, and may be on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever, and give rise to the dangerous fey known as the Forgotten. As Ethan's and Keirran's fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan's next choice may decide the fate of them all.

Ethan and Keirran's adventure continues! Will they succeed? Will that pesky prophecy rear it's ugly head? Only one way to find out?

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

With Halloween right around the corner, I thought I'd share. The Iron Fey chibis in their Halloween costumes.

From right to left: Grim as Cheshire, Puck as Hatter, Meghan as Alice, and our lovely Winter Prince as the White Rabbit.

Doesn't he look cute, folks?

Puck: "Hey, ice-boy, your cute fluffy tail is showing."

Ash: "I'm done with this."

Puck: "Aw, I think somebunny is embarrassed."

Edit: So, now I have a dilemma. I was going to put these guys up in the Etsy store this Saturday. My dilemma is this: do I offer them as a complete set, thus ensuring only 1 person will get them all, or should I offer them individually so more have a chance to grab one? Considering how very quickly they go, it would only take a few seconds for them to be gone.

So, I'm going to put it to a vote. Sell them as individuals, or as a set of four? I will check back Friday evening to see what has the most votes, and then they will go on sale Saturday, October 26 at noon EST.

Here is the link to the shop, if you are interested. KagawaCrafts. Thank you all so much!

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Okay, everyone. So your guesses were all awesome and creative, I had fun reading through them all. But before we get to the Grand Prize winners, the 2 random winners that will receive a signed Iron Traitor are:

Kelly @ Dandelion Dreams

and

Kaina

If you two would please email me your mailing address at juliekagawa@juliekagawa.com, I will send you your prizes. Thanks so much, and congratulations!

Now, the Grand Prize winner.

Or, more accurately, winners. There were two that almost nailed it. A lot of them came REALLY close, but in the end, I went with the two that not only came the closest to the actual plot, but had the most accurate information.

Note, they are not one-hundred percent correct, but they're pretty darn close.

Kathy L.

It's about a girl who is descendent from Saint George and is a member of a secret order that slays dragons. She is sent to California because of suspicious activity but then she meets a hot surfer and falls for him only to find out he's a dragon and that she is expected to kill him. At first she feels like he was tricking her and trying to gain her trust so he could kill her but then she realizes that he doesn't know who she is. Then there is a whole lot of angst and worry about if what the society is doing is right and does hot guy deserve to die and is it justice to kill all the dragons because some have killed before. Eventual she saves hot guy and they surf off into the sunset where they can be together without her family disapproving. Actually with this being a series the ending would need to not be so happy so maybe the first book ends with him finding out she has slayed his kind becoming angry and upset and so runs off leaving her heart broken thinking he will never come back.

Tyler Richardson

Ok final answer. There are a group of dragons that can make them selves look like humans or dragon kin that can hide the dragon parts of them live in a costal town when a secret organization founded by st George shows up because they feel the balance has been upset by the exsistance of them to kill the dragons/dragon kin but ends up falling in love with one of them and then trys to save them from the rest of the order that he was part of.

***

So, Kathy and Tyler, congratulations. If you email me your mailing addresses, I will send you your Grand Prize, which will be, along with a signed Iron Traitor, your choice of a chibi clay Ember or a chibi clay Cobalt, two of the main characters of the series.

Ember

Cobalt

Congratulations to the winners! And as we get closer to TALON's release, there will be many more exciting things to come, so keep checking back.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

First off, I want to say that this is my heart series, the story I've wanted to write since I was a kid. I remember the very first rendition of this story, written years and years ago as a teen, and I've never forgotten that idea, or those characters. In fact, the two main characters of the series are the same ones from that very first idea; same names, same appearance, nearly the same personalities. The setting has changed, and the plot has evolved, but Ember and Garret have stayed with me my whole life, and I'm thrilled to finally get the chance to tell their story.

So, on that note. Ladies and gentlemen, I am very pleased to announce that my Super Sekrit series will be about...

Come on, was it really a surprise? ;-)

introducing talon—a new
DRAGON SERIES FROM

New York Times Bestselling Author Julie Kagawa

Dragons and Warriors Face Off in a Modern-Day Battle

New
York, NY, October 2, 2013—New York Times and USA TODAY
bestselling author Julie Kagawa today unveiled TALON, her new highly anticipated
series from Harlequin TEEN. The Young Adult series, which has already been
picked up by Universal Pictures, features dragons battling an ancient order of
dragon slayers in a contemporary setting. TALON, the first book in the similarly
named series, will be published on October 28, 2014.

The series revolves around dragons with the
ability to disguise themselves as humans and an order of warriors sworn to
eradicate them. The dragons of TALON and the Order of St. George have been at
war with each other for centuries. The fabled creatures, whose existence is
unknown by the general public, are determined to rule the world. Their foes, a legendary
society of dragon slayers, are equally bent on driving the fabled beasts into
extinction. However, when a young dragon and a hardened slayer unknowingly befriend
each other, it has severe repercussions for both organizations.

“I’ve always been
fascinated by dragons because no other mythological creature is as complex,”
said Kagawa. ”They can be ruthless, savage monsters or loyal and noble
protectors. That led me to thinking about dragons in the modern world—how
they would adapt and fit in. How would they live? Would they have jobs? What
about emotions and love? I hope to answer all these questions in TALON,
while at the same time sneaking in the parts we all love in dragon stories—flying,
fire-breathing lizards of doom.”

“Julie Kagawa breathes new life into every
mythos she takes on, and with her modern dragon world, she outdoes even herself,”
said Natashya Wilson, Executive Editor at Harlequin TEEN. “Unique and
unforgettable, TALON is both a wildly entertaining read and a relevant
book that explores the dangers of blind prejudice and absolute power and the
transformative nature of love.”

Universal Pictures has picked up the film
rights to TALON with Chris Morgan attached to produce. Morgan is the writer of
the studio’s Fast & Furious
franchise and the upcoming Keanu Reeves samurai movie, 47 Ronin, as well as the producer of the recently announced The Legend of Conan film starring Arnold
Schwarzenegger.

“With
TALON, Julie Kagawa has created an epic romantic adventure that is sure to be a
benchmark saga of dragon lore,” said Morgan. ”I’m incredibly excited to help bring
her vision to the screen.”

Julie
Kagawa is the author of two previous series—the Blood of Eden series, optioned
by Joni Sighvatsson of Palomar Pictures, and the New York Times and USA TODAY
bestselling Iron Fey series. Kagawa’s titles
have been published in more than 20 countries, including the United Kingdom,
Australia, France and Germany.

Review copies of TALON and interviews will be available
to media closer to publication.

About
Harlequin

Harlequin (www.Harlequin.com) is one of the
world’s leading publishers of books for women, with titles issued worldwide in
34 languages and sold in 110 international markets. The company publishes more
than 110 titles monthly and more than 1,300 authors from around the world.
Harlequin is a wholly owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation (www.torstar.com),
a broadly based media company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TS.B).
Harlequin’s website is located at Harlequin.com. Harlequin has offices in 18
countries, including offices in Toronto, New York and London. For more
information, please visit Harlequin.com and Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks. Follow
Harlequin on Twitter: @HarlequinBooks.

***

So, that's it! My new book is a modern day dragon series. And, for those of you who entered the guessing game, thank you all! I will announce winners tomorrow, but here are the answers for the clues until then.

"Hang Ten:" Surfing term. Story takes place in a California beach town. One of the main characters is a surfer.
"Secret Organizations:" TALON and the Order of St. George. Both secret organizations at war with each other.
"Picture of Scales." No hidden meaning. Scales = scales, as in reptile or dragon scales.
"Name that Saint:" St. George, a legendary knight most famous for killing a dragon.
"Picture of Constellation:" The constellation Draco the Dragon. Self-explanatory.

Thanks for taking this journey with me! And keep checking back. Many exciting things to come!

Monday, September 30, 2013

Oh, and if you go HERE, you can enter to win an awesome prize pack from Harlequin TEEN, including an Iron Fey boxed set and a copy of The Iron Traitor. It's easy; all you have to do is click a tweet button, so be sure to check it out.

Today is also the last day to Guess the Sekrit Series, so be sure to get your guesses in below. The check back Wednesday, October 2nd, for the GRAND REVEAL.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

The last clue before the reveal of the Super Sekrit Series on October 2nd.

And to celebrate, this week's hint also comes with a contest/giveaway. The prize? Three, yes three, signed copies of THE IRON TRAITOR are up for grabs, as seen below.

But, there is also the GRAND PRIZE, which only one lucky person will receive. In addition to a signed copy of THE IRON TRAITOR, the grand prize winner will also receive a special something not pictured here. But if you want a hint, it is small, cute, and made of clay.

Kind of like these. But NOT these. These guys have already gone to their new homes:

But something very similar. (All figurines are handmade my myself, baked until hard, and sealed with protective gloss. Only their eyes and mouths are painted, the rest is colored polymer clay.)

RULES

Rules are simple. To be entered in the contest, you just have to guess what you think the Sekrit Series is about and leave your guess in the comments. You don't have to be right, or even close. All you have to do is leave your best guess, and you'll be entered to win one of three signed Iron Traitors. If you want to guess that the series is about flying pink panda bears who fight crime in yellow spandex, go right ahead. You'll still be entered to win.

However, the GRAND PRIZE will go to the guess that is closest to being right. It's not enough to say that the series is about XWY creature/person/thing. The more you can correctly guess about the series--setting, plot, characters, names, ect.--the better your chances of winning.

The giveaway will run for only a week, until October 1st. On October 2nd, be sure to check back for the Grand Reveal of the Sekrit Series, and to see whose guess was the closest.

And yes, we will make it international.

SO, now that you know what to do, shall we go on to the final hint? The last four clues were as follows: (Photos courtesy of YA Interrobang. )

Got those? Ready for the last clue? Okay....

Here it is:

Got it? Go forth, then, and GUESS. Guess, and then RT so that others may guess, too. And I'll see you back here on the 2nd for the grand reveal (finally!) of the Super Sekrit series.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

This week its a double guessing game. First, you have to name that saint, pictured above. THEN, if you are able to discern his name, you have to figure out where he fits within the series.

Fun, fun. Ooh, and if you're completely stumped, Page Turner's blog has some lovely hints to help you guess. And YA Interrobang has a list of all the clues up until now.

So, while you're figuring that out, here is another piece of exciting news.

Next week will be the very last clue, and there will also be a CONTEST and giveaway to celebrate the reveal of the Super Sekrit series on October 2nd. If you want to know what the contest and giveaway will entail, you'll have to check back next week for the final clue. The contest will last only a week, and then on the 2nd, the Super Sekrit Series will FINALLY be revealed.

Until then, guess away, and I'll see you all next week for the last clue.

November 2014

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About Me

I'm a writer and the YA author of THE IRON FEY trilogy, beginning with THE IRON KING. I love books, anime, sushi, writing, and video games. (Occasionally, the characters from my book will hijack the computer and make an appearence, but I take no responsibility for anything they say.)